People of Color and Sales | Donald C. Kelly - 001

Feb 23, 2021

This episode is sponsored by:

1. Skipio - Get one month free on an Individual plan with code TSE, or, 2 free seats/licenses on Teams. Try Skipio at www.Skipio.com.
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Welcome to the first episode of Selling in Color. In today’s episode, let’s talk about why people of color and sales match perfectly together! 

The misconceptions in sales

• When talking about sales, people immediately think about individuals who annoy customers. Many people have negative ideas about a sales job. 
• There’s always a general stigma around sales, people of color, and then people of color and sales. 

 Black people and sales

• IBM started recruiting black people in the 70s, and the turnout was good, but the rate of people of color in a sales job or white-collar jobs didn’t increase until today. 
• The jobs available for people of color were in retail. 
• Today, there are already several other sales jobs out there. In the next episodes, we will have other people of color who work in other industries and in different roles and positions. 

Becoming a salesperson

• It takes work before one can become a great salesperson. The barriers to sales, however, are way fewer than the barriers to other careers such as lawyers and doctors. 
• While those careers make good money, the road going there is long and steep. 
• On the other hand, sales also give you the same level of income, but the road isn’t as long and steep. You don’t need a master’s degree or doctorate degree to become a great salesperson. You only need to develop the right skills to become a great salesperson. 
• Sales allowed Donald to have a good lifestyle, take care of his family, and help other people as well. 
• With a better income, you are able to build generational wealth for your family. 
• When it comes to sales, you need to hustle and be creative. You need to stand up against the extreme competition. You need persistence and tenacity. There’s a need to have thick skin to be able to weather objections or rejections. 
• All these mental attitudes are common among people of color. 
• People of color continue to face challenges and oppressions. We understand difficulties. 
• Sales is how you can use that attitude and make the best out of it. 

“People of Color and Sales” episode resources

Speak with Donald directly for more sales talks. Reach him via these channels: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook about any sales concerns.